Holistic Help for Pets

If you’re concerned about dosing your pet with various meds, consider taking a holistic approach to treatment. Rather than seeing allergies as the result of an external trigger that must be controlled, holistic vets consider them a dysfunction of the immune system and start treatment by looking for a root cause.

There are three potential culprits, says Marcie Fallek, a holistic veterinarian who practices in New York City and Fairfield, Connecticut: overvaccination, emotional stress, and an inadequate or imbalanced diet. “We work to cure, not just manage, the allergy,” she says.

Once a cause is identified, holistic vets advise non-medicinal treatments to get the immune system back on track. These can include holistic treatments such as herbs, acupuncture, and nutritional supplements.

The one caveat? “Holistic therapies don’t necessarily work quickly or instantly,” says Fallek. “But in most cases you will find a permanent cure, with patience.”